Lizzie's Journey

Moving Right Along

Things around here have been medically dull, which makes me incredibly happy! We've had 2 normal weeks with no doctors, no fevers and no thrush. Oh happy days!!! This week it's back to the grind, with a few doctor's visits scheduled, but we are expecting all good reports. If everything turns out as planned, we are hoping to get a 6 month all clear. *crosses fingers* We've never been more than 12 weeks without some type of appointment, so 6 months would be pretty cool. I'd love to be able to give her an extended break before we start over with all the heavy duty testing next spring.

I really enjoy talking with other parents, and by doing so, lately I've realized how truly lucky we are. I hear so many parents talk about the fears that their children have when undergoing procedures, and how traumatic doctor's visits can be. I'm so thankful that Lizzie doesn't have those fears. She loves her doctors, and it has simply become a part of her life. Too be honest, her "medical expertise" has brought a lot of humor into our home. Here's a few examples:

Lizzie got a toy medical kit recently, and man has she had a ball. The very first day, she got it out and immediately went to work "doctoring" herself. I watched her giving herself a shot, and was amused when she kept pushing it over and over. A minute later she brought it to me and said, "mommy this one's broken, it not work", I said sure it does, and I pushed it in and out and showed her on my arm. She tried again, and said, "nope this one don't work, it don't hurt the baby. I throw it in the trash.". LOL! I'm not sure what was funnier, her distaste for a shot that didn't hurt, or the fact that she was intentionally trying to wound herself with a toy shot.

We live in the country, so we don't see a lot of suit and ties around these parts. When big brother put on his tie for a date night with mom, Lizzie jumped up and down clapping saying, "look brother's a doctor!". Now anyone in a tie is a doctor, and she insists on wearing one herself when playing with her kit.

Last week she discovered that her bunny rabbit had no belly button. She immediately ran to get her medical kit so that she could do "surgery" to fix this problem. I asked her why he needed a belly button, and she informed me that "he needs to go pee-pee mama". Talk about bitter sweet. I loved watching her interact with that bunny, assuring him that it would only hurt for a minute, and that she would make him all better. Not only does it remind me of what she has been through, but it also shows me a glimpse of who she will become. She will understand that everyone is different and wonderful in their own way, and that we should offer comfort to the people in our lives. What an amazing thing to be able to pass along to your children, the ideas of acceptance and compassion. I'd like to say I would have passed on those traits regardless of our journey, but having been down this road, I have a better understanding of what those words truly mean. It's amazing how much we learn from our children.

Labels: humor, Update